Buildings constructed from modular components are well known in the art. In one approach, modular components are assembled into sub-assemblies in a factory environment using standardized assembly techniques. The components may include room modules, wall sections, trusses and the like that are shipped to the construction site and assembled. Using this modular construction approach, a large portion of the labor, including plumbing, wiring and mechanical work, is performed in the factory using production line techniques, thereby reducing the level of skilled labor required to complete assembly of the building components at the construction site.
Another modular construction technique, often used to construct commercial buildings such as high rise buildings, employs standardized components to form exterior curtain walls on a preassembled load bearing skeletal structure or frame. The exterior curtain wall is substantially non-load bearing and functions to both satisfy esthetic requirements and seal the interior of the building against intrusion of environmental elements.
Known building constructions employing modular components essentially rely on rigid connections between building modules and components in order to achieve the required rigidity. However, these rigid connections may represent a disadvantage during seismic events and high winds which may impose extraordinary loads on the building.
Accordingly, there is a need for a modular building system that allows rapid assembly of simplified modular building components at a construction site with relatively unskilled labor. There is also a need for a modular building system that may be used to construct buildings which are stable, yet are able to withstand some flexing and movement during seismic events and high wind loads such as those produced by hurricane force winds.